Century Driver Charged After Traffic Stop With Rolling Meth Labs

July 10, 2015

Charges have now been filed against the driver of a pickup stopped by deputies in Century last month with two “one pot” meth labs.

Ansel D. Lovett, age 47 of Century, was booked into the Escambia County Thursday on felony charges of methamphetamine production and trafficking in amphetamine. His bond was set at $200,000.

The incident began when patrol deputies conducted a traffic stop on an older model Ford F250 truck on Front Street at Highway 29 in Century about 3 p.m. on June 18. The traffic stop occurred after a deputy observed a refrigerator and other objects protruding from a pickup truck with no tailgate, and after the deputy observed driver Lovett tossing cigarette butt from the truck’s window.

According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, deputies were familiar with Lovett and the passenger, 43-year old William Burr Milliron of Century, as convicted felons that were already under investigation for the possible use and manufacture of methamphetamines.

The deputies discovered two apparent “one pot” meth labs in a bag that was located in bed of the pickup. A .22 caliber revolver was also located. About 30 minutes into the investigation, Milliron ran from the area of the truck as deputies attempted to handcuff him.

Millron reportedly told deputies that he was not going back to prison before fleeing. He lunged at a deputy and was tased before being wrestled to the ground by a deputy that was later airlifted to a Pensacola hospital suffering from breathing difficulties. Milliron continued to wrestle and fight both deputies and was tased a second time. After he was taken into custody, deputies discovered ammunition for the firearm in his pocket, according to an arrest report.

Members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics responded to the scene. They were observed removing two plastic soft drink bottles containing the suspected meth labs from a camouflage bag. The bag also contained several items known to commonly be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, including drain cleaner.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Rapid Response Unit responded with a hazardous materials team that neutralized the meth labs in buckets that were then filled with concrete. After being rendered inert, the buckets and concrete are later disposed of at the county landfill.

Milliron was charged with methamphetamine production, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a listed chemical, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and possession of a weapon or ammo by a convicted felon.

Milliron remained in the Escambia County early Friday morning with bond set at $395,000.  The deputy airlifted to the hospital with breathing difficulties has since recovered.

For a photo gallery, click here. (Editor’s note: In some images, the face of an undercover deputy  has been hidden to protect the safety of the officer.)

NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.




Comments

4 Responses to “Century Driver Charged After Traffic Stop With Rolling Meth Labs”

  1. Just me on July 10th, 2015 10:38 pm

    Why would they let the driver go and say he wasn’t charged with anything to come back a few weeks later and charge him with it. If they thought he was in the wrong they should have took him to start with!!!!!

  2. Tammy on July 10th, 2015 5:19 pm

    the war on drugs is what causes this to happen. scumbags with no teeth making drugs out of battery parts and lye. Well now we get to pay for them to sit in prison. Guess what happens when they are released, even if they want to stay clean? Well they begin to realize they can’t get a job because of record, and they have a prison education that will make them better at the criminal side of life. Terrible approach to a problem.

  3. Patriot on July 10th, 2015 3:17 pm

    While I agree that these meth producers should be severely punished, let’s place the blame where it belongs….on the meth users.
    No one forced them to smoke meth…

  4. Danny on July 10th, 2015 2:54 pm

    There should be a mandatory life sentence for manufacturing and or selling Meth. That is what they are doing to the people they sell this stuff to, sentencing them to a life of misery or you could say death by misery. Maybe the death penalty would be better. They are selling a product destroys lives, and eventually leads to the death of the user if they don’t get off of it, and most don’t. So why not just eliminate the murders from society.